How do you get ebay to take action in relation to misuse of bid retractions

[gutterpunkz05]

How do you get ebay to take action against members misusing bid retractions to corrupt the bidding process.  IE;  Make winning

bid to  ascertain underbidders maximum, then retract bid and place bid equal to underbidders maximum, therefore leaving

the underbidder as the highest bidder exposed to their maximum bid.   I have complained to ebay by phone and email about

one particular bidder who exposed my maximum bid on six seperate items with one seller on 26/1/2014, this bidder has over

280 retracted bids in the last six months.  Another two bidders on items from the same seller have also adopted this practice

on items I have bid on, one of these sellers only has a feedback of 17 with 2 bid retractions and a 100% trading record with

this one seller.  To date there is no indication that ebay intends to act on my complaints as all items remained active with no

bid cancellations.  As far as I am aware this practice is against ebay rules and possibly illegal as is shill bidding.

Does this seem suspect or have I just been extremely unlucky to experience this on such a scale.  I am considering refusing

to pay for items until I receive some feedback from ebay relating to my complaints, but when I complained by phone they

refused to give me a report or case number and stated I would not be advised of the results of any ebay investigation.

HELP.... any advise would be much appreciated

[ozcraftsptyltd]

Most things on eBay are automated to the point that there is no potential for commonsense to prevail when you complain. I sympathise - though I think you have been very unlucky to strike the problem to that extent. The only thing I can suggest is to not bid early - wait till the sale is nearly over, then place your bid. Within the last 30 seconds is best if you want to avoid being gazumped. I think that's the way the most experienced bidders operate - from my experience as a seller. 

[gutterpunkz05]

Yeah I know, but I am not a particular fan of sniping.  Your not wrong about commonsense,  and try complaining  about a member

when you only know them as a fellow bidder  Initial***Initial.  Via phone not too bad, but by the automated email system has

to be reported under rules  as computer will not allow without the full user name.   Was intending to potential spend rather

big with this particular seller, but am now looking to run a mile.  Even if the seller is not connected with these bidders, (shill bidding)

surely they must be able to see that the bidding process has been seriously corrupted

If ebay is unwilling or unable to police there own rules  then it is only a matter of time before everyone adopts this practice, then

lets see how long ebay continues to operate for.  There is something seriously wrong here.

[padi*0409]

I know exactly how frustrating this one is, I opened a thread on the exact same subject just before xmas.

Both my seller and myself reported the buyer doing the retractions by phone to eBay, they said it was in the hands of "trust and safety", despite that in mid january the buyer was still doing it, I phoned again and eBay said "trust and safety" were still looking into it!!!!!!!!!

Back in December the buyer had 155 retractions in 30 days and a staggering 822 in total.

I know the buyer is still doing it, (63 in 30days and 874 in total) she tried it again with my seller when he then put her on his BBL.

Good luck with getting any action at all out of eBay, I'm convinced they just don't care, I mean how hard is it for them to restrict or close the buyer's account.

GRRRRR

[springyzone]

 I have complained to ebay by phone and email about

one particular bidder who exposed my maximum bid on six seperate items with one seller on 26/1/2014, this bidder has over

280 retracted bids in the last six months.  Another two bidders on items from the same seller have also adopted this practice

on items I have bid on, one of these sellers only has a feedback of 17 with 2 bid retractions and a 100% trading record with

this one seller. 

Suss, suss, suss, for sure, especially that first one. You would think as soon as you got on the phone and ebay looked into it, that bidder would have been kicked off.

I can't see any reason why someone should be able to rack up 280 bid retractions in 6 months, that is abusing the process.

If ebay can't see that, then they are blind.

[padi*0409]

---

@springyzone wrote:

I can't see any reason why someone should be able to rack up 280 bid retractions in 6 months, that is abusing the process.

If ebay can't see that, then they are blind.

---

Unfortunately springy, it looks like they are - or else "trust and safety" simply don't exist any longer....

I've started looking a bit more carefully at the bids/bid retractions since I first noticed the one I was talking about - I haven't come across another like the one I unearthed, but obviously there are buyers that are doing it - and apparently getting away with it.

I agree with you the one in the OP's case definitely looks suss.

Perhaps "trust and safety" should have the microscope put on them, since they're seemingly not doing the job they're paid for.

[gutterpunkz05]

those figures are scary,  I thought 280 odd in six months should be ringing alarm bells.  I copped 6 in less than 2 hours,  and on top of that they ran me to my limit on a number of other items by legitimate means, numerous small bids.  have been forced to

pay absolute maximum on every item won and on items they win they win by  one cent  every time.  Might just have to start

making outrageous bids and refusing to pay, see if that gets ebays attention

[gutterpunkz05]

I forgot to say you got further by phone than I did (Trust & Safety).  All I got was I,ll speak to a supervisor.

[padi*0409]

---

@gutterpunkz05 wrote:

I forgot to say you got further by phone than I did (Trust & Safety).  All I got was I,ll speak to a supervisor.

---

Not really, I spoke to a supervisor both times, and the second time asked to be put through to "trust and safety" - but guess what, they don't take calls...........................

Yes the figures are scarey, but what is more alarming is that eBay is seemingly taking no notice of members reports of auction manipulation - that's the one that will drive people away from eBay auctions.

There are quite a few areas where eBay's dropped the ball lately, scammers in particular spings to mind, along with the usual shonky Chinese sellers (who are ruining the reputation of the good ones...........)

[lyndal1838]

---

gutterpunkz05 wrote:  Might just have to start

making outrageous bids and refusing to pay, see if that gets ebays attention

---

That will get ebay's attention alright but you cn be pretty sure that every time you do it you will get a strike against you account and you will very quickly find yourself banned from buying from a lot of sellers who have their blocks in place?

Is it really worth risking your own account just to get ebay's attention and to prove a point?